Photograhs
by miskunn
Summary: Conqueror of Shamballa verse. Implied Edwin. Warning: a sprinkle of swear words, implication of goriness (depends on your def. of gory though) Credit: to which ever lovely artist drew the cover picture, Coldplay and the FMA franchise, whatever you want to call it.


**I was reading this FMA CoS verse fic called 'Sleuth' by Amelie Nockturne. Glorious set of one-shots actually. And for some reason I started thinking about photographs and this thing happened. **

_"When you try your best, but you don't succeed_  
><em>When you get what you want, but not what you need<em>  
><em>When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep<em>  
><em>Stuck in reverse"<em>

**Photographs**

Alfons wasn't sure whether he should feel more guilty or betrayed. Ed had left early that morning, leaving a written note on the table. Something about grabbing some blue prints out of his room. Alfons hadn't thought much of it though he was happy that his reclusive roommate finally trusted him enough to let him into his room. So the rocket scientist had gone about his breakfast, washed up after himself then gone to fetch the blueprints.

The worn, leather-bound journal was just sitting there.

With some paper poking out.

Alfons hadn't _meant _to accidentally knock the thing off the desk with the rolled up blueprints. But it had happened and the little journal was sent flying off the desk, the paper that had been sticking out going flying, swirling down to rest on the floor. Alfons had innocently bent to pick whatever it was up and put them back in Ed's journal but he felt his body go stiff as he realised just _what _those pieces of paper on the floor were.

_Photographs_.

Coloured to be exact. With little dates and captions printed in neat handwriting. But they were _coloured_. This was the first thing about them that fascinated Alfons because it was 1923 and as far as he knew, nobody had coloured pictures that weren't done by artists. And this was clearly taken from a camera of sorts. It was bewildering to know that this person Alfons had known for 2 years owned things more advanced than the simple black and white most people currently had.

Alfons straightened, journal in one hand, photographs in the other, blueprints still sitting on the desk. The blonde shoved the journal next to the blueprints so he could take a closer look at these coloured pictures as his curiosity drove him. Edward was more secretive than a Russian spy and even more tight-lipped about his family or previous life before coming to Germany.

These pictures might provide some insight into the inner workings of his friend's mind.

Alfons felt shock thread through his body. The first picture was of a girl.

Blonde haired, blue eyed, wearing a _very _revealing black tube bra thing that was zipped up the front (which made Alfons blush) and baggy overalls. Leather mechanic's gloves covered her hands, one of which had a wrench grasped in it. Her hair was held back in a ponytail, bangs free though just restrained by a green bandanna. Her face looked somewhere in between annoyed and laughing. Rolling greens hills and the corner of a big, two-storey yellow house filled the background, the blurry shape of a dog just visible with something metallic on its left leg.

Alfons flipped the picture over to look at the back of it. _Winry Rockbell, (1917) _then a bit of childish scribble:

_Don't write on my book Ed!_

Make me Winry!

_Ugh Alchemy Freak! Hey, what's the answer to 6?_

Like hell I'm telling you!

_Then I'm not talking to you!_

Alfons didn't have a clue why something like that would be written on the back of a photograph but he just shrugged. His roommate was strange, probably the result of having a strange family or friends. The blonde 17 year old flicked the picture back to the front so he could inspect it some more. The girl - _Winry _- looked about 18 with a natural beauty about her. The curves of her hips were less apparent in the overalls but they were still noticeable. Alfons wondered again at why a female would be dressing as a mechanic, clearly a male's job. He shook his head, reminding himself of the strangeness surrounding his fellow scientist. Alfons let his eyes inspect the picture again, trying to find some sort of familiarity between the girl and Edward as his eyes trailed up from Winry's overalls.

Up her toned waist, the black zipped tube thing appearing again, _accentuating the size and roundness of her breasts _- Alfons slammed the image face-down on the desk, desperately fighting down a blush and a soon-to-be southern movement of his blood. He drew in a deep breath slowly before going through the other photos. A group of 6 or so military personnel all decked in blue and gold regalia, grinning widely at the camera. A younger version of Edward in black and red clothes was hooked under the arm of man with dark hair and eyes. Ed's face though screamed "_this is boring I don't want to be here when I could be studying something_".

The back of this one read _Mustang's stupid team _with no date but an additional message in a lazy scrawl that was barely legible as handwriting._ You just called yourself stupid pipsqueak_. Alfons felt his surprise grow on his face. There wasn't many people stupid enough to taunt Edward about his height let alone his knowledge.

Alfons put that picture on top of the one with the Winry girl in it, picking up the next one. Ed and a walking, massive suit of armour. _Flick_. A big muscle-y blonde guy pulling a body builder's pose complete with complimentary pink sparkles. _Flick_. A girl with short dark brown hair pulled into a low ponytail, swinging something silver at the camera with a teasing grin that nearly shut her eyes. _Flick_. A smiling family of three. _Wait! _That was Officer Hughes and Miss Gracia! Since when did they have a little girl? Alfons wondered. As far as he knew, the two weren't even dating yet! He frowned.

Ed's tales of another world were starting to seem slightly more legible. These obviously couldn't have been forged with the limited technology they had today.

"Alfons!"

Shit! Ed was home! Alfons hastily stuffed the photographs back into the leather bound journal, snatched up the blue prints and nearly sprinted out the door. If he had been watching he probably wouldn't've run into the very person that had just came home.

"Ed!" Alfons exclaimed. "I was j-just…uhh…" Ed's golden eyes were narrowed at the German. The gold orbs glanced over the younger boy's shoulder at the desk to see the messed up journal, a picture still sitting on the desk from when Alfons had fumbled and hadn't managed to stuff it in with the rest.

"Did you go through my journal?" Ed's voice was dangerously low. It reminded Alfons of a dog growling as it worked itself up for the bigger bark. Or bite depending on which dog.

"I uh…"

"Either you did or you didn't Alfons!" Ed snapped, eyes blazing. "Which is it then? Come on! I haven't damn well got all day!"

"T-the blue prints knocked it off and I-I was picking it up and…I got…curious…."

Ed sighed heavily, all the fight slumping out of him. He could never stay mad at Alphonse and neither could he stay mad at _this _Alfons. Edward pushed past, picking up the journal. A muscle in the 18 year old's jaw jumped as his flesh had went to pick up the face down photo that had been left.

Alfons realised that was the one with Winry on it. Ed's hand had hesitated a second more before picking it up gingerly. The pretty girl's face came into view again as Alfons's friend flipping it right side up with a trembling hand. _Thump! _Alfons flinched at the sudden sound as Ed's prosthetic hit the wood, journal still in his metal hand. It was the most worked up like _this _that Alfons had ever seen Ed. The most upset. Sure, the guy had been angry before but _this_…this was different.

Edward's shoulders shook as he took deep, shuddering breaths, trying to calm his emotions. Truth had been the one to force the pictures onto Ed and the alchemist still found them a sore point. The Truth was heartless. The Grade 1 conversation between himself and Winry. That had felt like Envy had stabbed him in the chest again. The simple _picture _of Winry felt like somebody had stabbed Ed's heart. Every time he looked at it, the regret of an unfinished relationship burned in his stomach making him feel queasy. Every time he looked at that picture, Edward felt like ripping out his heart just so he couldn't feel his pulse.

The alchemist closed his eyes briefly, aware of Alfons looking at him in concern. One last shaky breath and Ed decided on his plan of action. He scooped everything up carefully, walking past his roommate of two years.

"You found the pictures so I think I owe you some stories Alfons," Ed told the younger boy quietly. "Come on."

And hour later Alfons was sitting across the dining table from Edward with an amused smile. Ed had just finished telling him a tale of when Roy Mustang (the black haired man that had had his arm around Edward in one of the pictures) and his team minus Hawkeye (the burgundy eyed blonde lady in the same picture) had gotten completely smashed at a pub in central despite being required to turn up to work the next day. Mustang had been so out of it that Ed had managed to stick a note on to the back of his uniform that read "I like to look up mini skirts" resulting in many angry females around Central. Havoc had somehow managed to stay conscious enough to form a plan with some unnamed associates which left Roy passed out, hanging from the Mess Hall ceiling in a miniskirt (with shorts underneath, they didn't want to scar the military populace) and looking like a drag queen.

Alfons had found the tale greatly amusing, watching as his friend reminisced with a smile of his own. But Edward had left out one particular photo. The one of Winry. Alfons carefully picked it out of the pile, keeping one eye on his friend's reaction as he tapped on the coloured picture.

"You haven't told me about her yet Ed."

"I have my reasons," the long haired blonde grumbled, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. His posture was still stiff though.

"I'm sure you do Ed. She's very pretty," Alfons stated, giving the picture a once over. His reactions earlier was proof there was no doubting the girl _was _good-looking. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Mechanic," came Ed's short reply. It was strained with underlying emotions that Alfons had some trouble placing. "She helped Granny with my automail surgery then continuously repaired it during my years in the military. She's the best automail mechanic in Amestris Alfons. And that stupid gearhead went and spent half her time looking after me." Ed shook his head, still talking. Alfons let him. "She could've been doing so much more rather than tagging along with me and Al when we were searching for the Philosopher's Stone. And then she sort of _did _and I don't know if I'd have known what to do if I didn't have Al's condition to keep me focused." It was silent for a few minutes.

"Did you love her?" Alfons asked quietly. He knew he was treading in warm waters that could reach boiling at any second but Ed only gave a hollow laugh.

"Present tense Alfons. I just never realised until Truth booted my sorry ass into this world and then shoved that picture at me." Ed's voice was just as empty as the laugh he gave just before.

Edward Elric was a genius, a madman. He had attempted taboo at the age of eleven, survived, pushed through the pain of automail surgery and just kept pushing all for his little brother. Edward Elric had faced more things than the average military man would see in his entire life. Edward Elric had died and come back to life. But now, as Alfons inspected his friend's melancholy face, he wasn't so sure.

Because Ed had always had one home and that was Winry Rockbell. He'd always been able to turn to her when he needed and she had been willing because she loved him back. He'd always had that spark of hope, that unspoken promise because neither were sure if Edward would succeed and Alphonse took priority.

Alfons knew his friend had died and come back to life but now, he wasn't so sure if Ed was _living_.

_"Lights will guide you home_  
><em>And ignite your bones<em>  
><em>And I will try to fix you"<em>

_~Fix You by Coldplay_

**Turr Durr. Wednesday night ramblings from my room here in Australia. Coldplay have some pretty sweet music but I don't listen to them much unfortunately. Got my head stuck in P!atD, Linkin Park, The Used, My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy, etc. **

**Speaking of which, Fall Out Boy released a new song for the Big Hero 6 soundtrack called Immortals. Amazing song, I can't stop listening to it!  
><strong>

**Like usual, I can't be bothered to proofread, I have other shit to do like assignments bleh**

**School. Love it. **


End file.
